The etiologic agent of syphilis is the spirochete Treponema pallidum. Humans are the only known vectors for this disorder. Although syphilis has been known for centuries, and despite the use of modern antibiotics, its overall incidence is unfortunately on the rise. Among the infectious diseases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, syphilis is the fourth most common, following gonorrhea, varicella, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. 1An understanding of syphilis is of utmost importance to otolaryngologists, because the most common extragenital site of infection is the oral cavity.